No illegal immigrants in Mizoram, says Home Minister

Aizawl (zoramobserver.com): There was no report of any illegal immigrants entering Mizoram from neighbouring countries since 2012 till date, Home Minister R. Lalzirliana informed the Assembly yesterday.

Replying to a query from Lalruatkima of the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), Lalzirliana said that the government received no reports of any illegal immigrants entering Mizoram and settling down here since 2012.

He also informed the house that Mizoram shares 722 km long international border with neighbouring Myanmar (404km) and Bangladesh (318km).

He said that central para-military forces were deployed to guard the international borders.

“While Mizoram-Myanmar border areas were guarded by the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were deployed along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border,” he said.

The Home Minister’s reply, however, evoked strong argument from Lalruatkima who claimed that there was presence of illegal immigrants in Mizoram especially in western part of the state.

The legislator from Aizawl West-II assembly constituency claimed that the Home Minister had in last year, while replying to unstarred question, informed the house that there were over 500 illegal immigrants in Mizoram entering from neighbouring countries during 2012-2015.

Replying to supplementary question, the Home Minister said that the government received no report about presence of Rohingya Muslim in Mizoram.

He however, informed the assembly that Mizoram is currently harbouring over 400 refugees from Myanmar who recently fled the country following a clash between Myanmar Army andArakan Liberation Army.

The government is giving medical assistance and all necessary aids to the refugees, he added.

Co-Editor, Zoramobserver.com. Mr. Khojol is a journalist based in Aizawl, Mizoram. He writes for various national and regional media houses. In his free time, he can be caught reading books and watching movies.